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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – I’m not a sociologist, I’m, at best, an observer. But there is something different about homelessness in Wausau this year.
Police chief Matt Barnes sounded a warning during the warm summer months: there are more homeless in town. The reasons why escape me. Wausau’s social safety net is no better or no worse than any other city of similar size. Something else that’s different: usually the homeless population does down during the winter. They reconcile with family members who take them in, or they go somewhere warm.
Another thing that has changed the landscape of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing. I am amazed at what people pay for rent here. I know someone who rents a modest townhouse for $950 a month. He’s unemployed. His girlfriend works. I’m certain they are heading for a financial disaster. I’ve been lucky. I bought my home before interest rates started to rise. I own a home and pay $300 a month less than my friends do.
I think this is how the housing market makes homelessness worse. There are very few homes for sale on the market right now, and interest rates are high. So many people who might want to buy a home continue to rent until conditions change. That means there are more people renting now who might otherwise become homeowners. For people in the renting class, they’re competing for rentals with people who have more money. That drives rents up. Affordable housing – in the range of $750 to $850 a month – still strikes me as very expensive. That’s out of reach for a homeless person even if they could afford the security deposit and the costs of moving in.
When I talk about community problems on these Conley Commentaries, I like to have a solution in mind. For homelessness, I don’t. Working a low-end job probably doesn’t pay the rent. Our resources are stretched beyond breaking. What do most people need to get back on their feet? A champion. A concerned person – someone like you – to help them.
Chris Conley
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